Root of Friendship
by Altega
Summary: Set in the Roots of the Tree Universe. Clay has just begun his studies under his new Guardian, Megatronus, when something unexpected happens that will shape him and his new Scavenger friend, Callum, for the rest of their lives. How will this all tie in I do wonder? Come and join us for a story of deep friendship, courage and how life is with a dragon for a best friend.
1. A Seed

Clay sighed as he shuffled into his den and made to sleep.

It had been another grueling week; more lessons, more training, more disappointed, hateful, glares from Kestrel, more lessons, more training. More, more, more. Weren't he and his friends enough?

He just collapsed onto his bedding for a few heartbeats before sniffing and getting up to pop his joints. Then began his nightly search for that one truly comfy spot to sleep.

There were two upsides to all of this though; His friends that he cared for very much and cared for him likewise. Whatever he lacked in his attacks it was Tsunami that helped him improve. Whenever there was something he couldn't understand in the scrolls it was Starflight that helped him understand it. And then there was Sunny and Glory the two that gave him the most help by making him smile when he felt broken the most inside, especially when Kestrel expressed her disappointment in his lack of killer instinct he had once displayed.

He treasured them all and unknown to each of them, they had become his driving force to do better. He would not let anything happen to them, they were his family.

And then there were his new, nightly lessons with his favorite teacher, Megatronus. At first he thought the first encounter had been a very vivid dream, until he rammed his head into a rock wall on his second lesson thinking nothing of it. He had then spent that night and the next day nursing a sore head while also listening to the scolding for 'bumping' his head in the night. That and his new 'birth mark,' were another big hint that his dreams were more than that.

That had been his 'waking moment,' as Megatronus called it, now he knew that what he learned the night before had very real world effects and consequences. He also noticed small differences between him and the others the days afterward. They seemed to be getting slower and weaker whenever they mock spared against one another, but as he soon learned from his teacher that wasn't the case. Rather he was growing stronger, faster and would one day surpass those around him in ways he could not even begin to imagine.

Of course this scared him frequently because of the possibility of accidentally hurting them, but each time his teacher assured him it was good. For it meant he would someday become a great Guardian just as he was for Clay. He would ensure his friends were kept safe and that his fear for them would also strengthen his will if he kept a healthy respect for his newfound power but did not allow it to consume him. All of this gave Clay a new feeling he had never felt before in his life: Pride. He looked up to his teacher more after that, (If that was even possible.) and took everything he taught to heart.

Clay's first lessons had centered not on harnessing the power around him, but rather the power within him. Before he knew nothing about his scales, now he could harden his scales to a state called 'Ironhide,' making him immune to physical attacks. Next were his strength and speed increasing to where he could lift up to four times his weight on his wings and sprint half a cave length in twenty heartbeats. The best part, as his teacher said, he was still growing. One day, he would even surpass his teacher and become a force to reckon with in his own right.

To say his new teacher was upset with his progress would have been a lie.

Megatronus was both proud and pleased of him.

Throughout it all he had been a firm yet fair teacher, far better than any he had before. Clay dared to even compare him to what an actual father was like. He didn't want to risk his friendship with the elder however and so kept these thoughts as quiet as possible. If Megatronus knew of these whispers he gave no indication. The only one who could match him was Starflight and that was only through the scrolls. Megatronus had decided to focus on Clay's spiritual training and then focus on teaching him so as not to arouse questions to his sudden prowess.

This also meant keeping his new talents hidden as well, except on the condition where his life or those he cared for were endangered.

Clay smiled to himself as he settled to doze off. Megatronus was waiting for him as he stretched out again and stood up, eager to begin his next lesson.

* * *

"What do we do today Teacher?"

Clay chirped as he bounced around his elder's paws like a three month old.

"Today we will be resting."

Megatronus smirked as the young one mistimed a bounce and toppled on his muzzle.

"Resting? But why?"

This time he couldn't help but chuckle slightly at his student's pout.

"While you eagerness to learn is commendable, in life you must learn to retain all that you learn so you may carry it forward and one day pass it on to yours. What better way to do so than on a day of resting?"

Coiling his tail gently around his middle he set Clay on his paws.

"Come along Constellation. Today I walk among the 'Sea.'"

That erased Clay's disappointment instantly. Since that first day when he choose his teacher they had worked in a cave under what was called the 'Great Central Plain,' where many beings came seeking answers to many questions, even the other twelve from time to time.

He learned early on that what those who entered the plain were actually seeking Megatronus, whose title here was Guardian of Forbbiden Wisdom and Judgment. Few were gentle and left either with their answer or when told to return.

A good deal of the others however were more hostile and tried scouring the plains where Megatronus hid away the answers as well as countless traps that would ensnare them till he decided to release them for his punishment.

Clay never knew how his teacher knew where everything was as the plains constantly shifted making him think more of a sandy sea than a plain, it was also due to its constant shifting Megatronus was hesitant to let Clay come with him until he was sure he could handle himself well enough to run and find him. All of this excited the young dragonet, his teacher thought he was ready and he would finally see what he had taken to calling the 'Sand Sea.'

He had spoken to Megatronus about the name once, he had only shrugged his wings and admitted that it was what the other twelve had decided to call his home than sea of sand. Although he rather liked the sound of it.

So while the other twelve beings and their students on the rims referred to their domain as the 'Great Central Plain,' Clay and his teacher simply called it the 'Sand Sea.'

With all this in mind, as well as his excitement and youthful energy, Clay led Megatronus out the cave entrance to the 'Sea.'

* * *

They were miles from where they started when Clay stopped. Megatronus turned and realized the sensations of Ancient Magics from Chaos and Order, he looked to Clay and shifted to his Second Sight. Something was about to happen to his pupil, what though he couldn't tell. All of the thirteen couldn't fathom the wisdom of the One who had set their world in motion.

All he could do was something he hadn't done in millennia; he bowed his head and sent a silent prayer to his life giver, Primus. Begging silently that his student would survive this trial and worrying that he hadn't taught him enough to prepare him for it.

* * *

Clay saw an entrance to a cave nearby and cautiously walked inside. Instinctively hardening his scales as he went deeper into the darkness, unaware he was alone.

But not for long.

"Hello, is anybody here?!"

He chanced calling out into the darkness, he hadn't counted on someone replying with a very loud scream of: "HELP!"

He dashed ahead, hardening his scales the rest of the way and focusing on his hearing as he ran straight through rock and dirt without so much as slowing down.

"Where are you?!"

Another scream gave him direction and he raced down into the dark until he saw a jagged crack in the floor with light shining up from underneath. He looked down and was surprised what he saw.

There just below him was a Scavenger male with dark brown, neck-length fur with green eyes and fair colored skin. He was wearing a purple colored covering, tucked back by a strange black sash with an odd silver piece and a darker blue covering over it. He also had dark gray coverings down his legs to dark brown foot coverings with purple accents.

What caught his attention most was a red scrap of what he thought a torn covering around his neck, as well as the Shades that had cornered him.

Megatronus warned Clay of these beings. Once they were actual living beings that slowly lost themselves to madness if they actually found their answers without Megatronus deciding if they were worthy of it or not.

They served as both a warning of what would happen to those that dared try to learn without Megatronus's guidance and as vicious guardians of the very secrets they had once pursued. For if a Shade found anyone they would not hesitate to pursue, capture and change the trespasser into one of their own as a form of retribution.

Clay knew he had to find the other who needed help but first he had to help the young Scavenger male first.

He jumped up, smashing all his weight down on the crack. He plunged down on top of the Shade that was about to pounce on Scavenger. At his presence the other Shades quickly dispersed. They knew the Master of this land and this other carried his smell, better to leave the trespasser to this one than be destroyed. Even the Shades valued their twisted existence.

Clay turned to the Scavenger and stopped. He didn't look very old at all, maybe 5 moon cycles old. What was he doing here? He shook his head, another question for another time, right now he had to find the voice.

He got up and shook himself and looked at the Scavenger making a shooing motion with his wings before turning to look around and listen for the voice.

"HELLO!"

He called at the top of his voice. He about jumped out of his scales when the Scavenger next to him replied in a tiny voice.

"Thank you."

Clay looked at him like he sprouted another head.

"YOU CAN TALK?!"

The young Scavenger backed up as the dragon got closer with huge eyes as he looked down at him.

"Y-y-ye-yeah! So can you!"

He replied dumbly. Clay just fell on his rump and stared at him with an open maw. The Scavenger just looked anywhere excpet at the dragon in front of him as he dug his foot coverings in the dirt.

Clay shook his head as he realized that his voice was the same one that had guided him down here. Turning he wanted to ask his teacher but froze and then circled with mounting panic.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. No!"

Clay grumbled and covered his head in his wings.

"What's wrong?"

Clay looked up at the small Scavenger through a crack in his wings.

"I lost my Teacher."

Clay sat up and glared as best he could down at the smaller being when he busted out laughing. He snorted when he finally seemed to have better control of himself.

"Sorry, it's just that was the last thing I was expecting you to say."

He giggled as he sat down beside him with an apologetic look sent his way. Clay huffed but silently accepted his apology as he thought how he was going to find his teacher.

He looked up at the hole in the ceiling, the best way to go was up and follow the path he made, it wasn't that hard to find.

He shook himself and stood up before putting the small Scavenger on his back, shaking off the tingling that happened when he did so.

"We need to go find my teacher, he must be worried sick about me."

With that he jumped and pumped his wings with all his might, true he was stronger but flying with the Scavenger was really awkward. Thankfully it was a short flight up to the hole he made when he crashed down on the Shade.

The tiny Scavenger was shaking as they landed and clung to his wing after sliding down his left shoulder. His legs were shaking so badly, Clay worried he wouldn't make it.

But as they walked up his breathing evened and his stride got stronger. Clay had almost forgotten the Scavenger could talk when he voiced a question.

"Your teacher must really care for you."

Clay didn't jump as high as last time but still bumped his head against the roof of his 'tunnel.' He really had to remember that this one Scavenger could talk and not to be as surprised by that.

"He does, he's one of my best friends."

Clay chirped as the Scavenger turned and looked at the floor while they kept walking.

"Wonder what that's like."

Clay nudged his arm in curiosity. The Scavenger's scent kept changing so much, first it was the bitterness of sadness, then a sharp tang of fear as he nudged the small creature before it calmed.

"I'm not sure you'd understand."

Clay huffed and straightened as he looked ahead of where they were walking. After a few moments he heard the Scavenger sigh.

"I just turned five a few days ago but that was after my Mother remarried. My new Father is the King. I mean THE King! How do you deal with that!"

Clay just looked down at him, confused.

"I told you, you wouldn't understand."

Clay nodded as they resumed walking up before speaking again.

"You're right I don't. I mean your Mother loves him, do you not like him?"

The Scavenger spun and gawked up at the dragon before finding his brain.

"I do, he's been nice and helped me settle into the castle but what do I call him? When he came to my birthday I didn't know what to do and just said 'Hello your Highness,' then hid behind Mom."

Clay turned and looked back down at him.

"Just call him 'Dad.' If he's as nice as you say then maybe he's just trying to make sure he loves you as much as he loves your Mom, but he can't know that if you're not willing to try. It just takes time to make new friends."

Clay laughed at the Scavenger's expression before looking up and seeing light.

"We're here, c'mon!"

He nudged him again and felt another jolt of...something.

* * *

They both raced up and shielded their faces from the bright light of the sun. After recovering their eyes, the Scavenger looked around.

"So where do we start looking for your teacher."

A muffled 'thud,' shook them from behind.

"You can try looking behind young ones."

Clay spun around and raced off kicking sand in the Scavenger's direction as he raced over.

"TEACHER! I am so, so, so, so sorry, I promise I won't-"

He stopped as he gently set a talon against Clay's muzzle and smiled.

"It's alright Constellation, you don't need to promise me anything. I am just proud that you were able to prove to me that you could handle yourself."

He bent down and nuzzled his cheek. Clay blinked for a moment then returned it as best he could against the rough, rock that was his Teacher's skin.

"Wow!"

A breathless voice had the two separating as the Scavenger dusted the sand off of himself.

"Oh, Teacher, this is the Scav-"

Clay paused as a thought occurred to him.

"Actually, do you have a name?"

The Scavenger paused in dusting out sand from holes in his gray coverings. (Weird.)

"Uh, Callum."

He looked at both dragons, one considerably larger than the other he met, clearing his voice he repeated it a bit more loudly.

"My name is Callum."

He didn't expect the younger dragon to bound up and nudged him again toward his gigantic teacher.

"Right, Teacher, this is the Scavenger Callum, I found him down below."

Callum worked to get his legs under him before turning to look up, still trying to understand all the younger dragon had said. He was a little terrified when he looked up into Teacher's large eye but felt genuine warmth from both dragons instead of hostility. This was so different from what he had learned and believed most of his life.

"What is it you seek from here?"

He asked in his softest voice so as not to spook the poor child anymore than he already had been, in response Callum just shook his head.

"I don't know, actually can I just go home please?"

Megatronus smiled and nodded before waving his right paw in a half circle motion. As if by command a door the size of a Scavenger appeared not that far away.

"Return to your family then young Prince, and know you are welcome to return here."

Callum turned to look up at him in awe.

"How-"

Clay chuckled from beside him.

"Teacher knows everything about anything."

Callum turned to look up at the smaller dragon beside him while Megatronus eyed the pair with his Second Sight. Unaware to either youngling the Magics of Chaos and Order wove together creating a bond between the two that he knew would suffer strain but also grow and become unbreakable. A true bond of Friendship had been born.

He relaxed his Sight as the two finally got around to saying their names that sealed the bond between them. What surprised him was when his student gave both his names to this Callum, making the bond that much stronger between the two.

Megatronus was worried at first but relaxed. He would have to trust his student's judgement of character and observe what came of it.

He watched as Callum walked through the door promising to return, much to Megatronus' amusement. Things just became more and more interesting with each passing day spent with Clay.

* * *

Callum bolted awake and shook his head groggily as he looked out to see the sun rise. What a dream he had. The dark monsters, then the dragons; Teacher and his student, Constellation who was also called Clay? Was any of it real? It sure felt like it.

'It was real!'

A voice, that sounded oddly like Clay's, echoed in his head with indignation.

He froze and looked left and right in his empty room.

'See you tonight Scavenger Callum, don't be late, Teacher will be starting a new lesson. I can hardly wait.'

Callum found himself falling backward onto his mattress as the voice stopped completely.

After the shock wore off, he smiled and then promptly fainted.


	2. A Future Root

Callum could hardly breathe as his thoughts all slammed together through his mind. So much had happened, so much had changed and so much was still at stake.

He squeezed his eyes tight for a heartbeat as the wind whistled past his head. It lasted for a moment but a moment was all that was needed for something amazing to happen that he hadn't experienced in almost five years.

When he opened his eyes again, he noticed something was off. No sound. There was no wind moving past him. In fact that wasn't the only thing that had stopped, so had he.

"Hello again Callum."

That voice! Callum jerked up and found himself floating as he frantically looked all around for the source before he saw them.

There, coming from his left were two faces he thought he'd never see again; Teacher and his first best friend, Clay.

They got close to him and seemed almost hesitant to come closer. Callum quickly remembered why. The last time they had spoken was...painful to all of them.

"Cal?"

He looked up at Clay's hopeful eyes. How he'd missed that friendly reptilian gold.

"Are you still angry at us?"

He asked floating slightly closer to him.

"If you are we understand. We shouldn't have even-"

He stopped as he felt tiny arms wrap around his muzzle and happy memories flowed back from a time before.

"I'm so sorry."

The words were so soft that Clay thought he'd misheard, until Cal repeated himself as he pushed away to speak clearly.

"I'm so sorry to both of you, I was just angry about what happened. I didn't mean to just shove you both away. You're my friends and it was wrong of me to say those things. I don't even know why you're wanting to talk to me, after everything..."

Clay opened his maw to say something, anything to comfort his friend, but was cut off by a rough snout gently nudging him aside to look at Callum directly.

"Callum look at me."

Slowly the young male looked up to his Teacher, fresh tears flowing from his eyes.

"You will always, and I do mean always, be one of my students. Just as Clay is. However, you are not like Clay, you needed to find your own path in life as a human should, not as a dragon. Only then would I be able to help you to grow to your fullest potential that I once saw you attaining and I still do. Unfortunately what happened was the catylyst that was needed to encourage you to severe the ties that held you. Now here you are, just look at you now and how far you have come and grown."

He opened his wings to Callum and his eyes gleamed with a smile of pride.

"In spite of everything you have held true to what I have taught you and used it to guide you further than I could have imagined, though it would seem there are things you will have to teach me as well now. My student."

Callum's tears fell freely as he hugged his Teacher's muzzle like he had Clay's. He pushed away and looked at them both, remembering the words he once heard Teacher tell him so many years before.

"Mu los gro together, ful together mu fent spaan."

He wasn't sure those were the right words in Dragon, and he knew he forgot the word for 'together,' but from Teacher and Clay's smiles he'd gotten what he meant to say across.

"You remembered."

Teacher smiled at him as Clay flapped his wings happily from Callum's right.

"I have a great Teacher."

Callum smiled again before taking a deep breath and reaching out, taking Teacher's claw while he felt the familiar tingle reignite the once strained bond between teacher and student.

Callum barely noticed the wind beginning to whistle past his ears until he opened his eyes again.

As he reoriented himself and caught sight of who he had jumped off the Storm Spire for, he heard two voices echo in the back of his mind.

'We are with you Callum. Always.'

In that moment, he wasn't afraid anymore and he finally breathed out the words he'd been holding in for a while now.

"Rayla, I love you."


	3. Taking root

Callum sighed as he settled into his bed to sleep. Last night he had the strangest dream, he was in a vast desert attacked by shadow monsters, only to be rescued by a young dragon and a literal mountain of a dragon that was the younger's teacher. He huffed as he fluffed up his pillow to sleep, there was no way he'd have such a wild dream like that again. No surprises.

Sighing the young Prince settled to sleep as he thought about what had gone on today. He had slept through breakfast, though he would protest it, saying he had fainted after having that extraordinary dream. Naturally his mother had ruffled his hair and praised his imagination, but had still chided him gently about waking late. After that his day had gone about as usual. Rolling over he pulled the sheet up to his shoulder and closed his eyes.

'No surprises.'

The young Prince sighed disappointedly as he snuggled into his still new bed. At least he still had the memory of the two dragons in his mind well enough to make a rough sketch in his book. He wished he had a better look though just to make sure he got the features right. Heaving one last sigh, he closed his eyes.

* * *

"Callum?"

Groaning and rolling over the young Prince shivered as he curled closer on himself, he'd just gone to bed.

"Come on Callum, Teacher is waiting on us."

The voice huffed exasperatedly, while he also felt a warm something nudge into his back.

"Go away."

He mumbled as he tried pulling a cover over his head, but nothing covered him. Groaning again, he felt around and found...Hay? When had he gotten into the stables? He sat and blearily rubbed at his eyes as he looked around for the door that led back to the palace. He had just begun cautiously feeling around with his hands, when his open palm smacked solidly on something warm, and rough.

"OUCH!"

Callum finally shook the last of the sleep from his eyes, and looked up wide eyed at the exact same white colored dragon from his dream last night. The dragon was busily rubbing his nose with a black colored paw as he looked down at Callum with a pout.

"That hurt, you mean Scavenger."

Callum did what any other person would do in that situation; scream and run.

He'd just run up to a light coming from an adjoining cave, when he stopped at seeing a massive dragon made of molten rock casually sitting there and reading over scrolls that were floating in midair. As though sensing a disturbance, the dragon turned and fixed his gaze on the now terrified Prince. Smelling his fear, he offered his best smile and spoke in a calm, steady voice.

"Hello again young Prince, how nice to see you again so soon."

Callum finally felt his heart begin to beat normally as his mind provided him the information from the other night.

"T-T-Te-Teacher?"

Continuing to smile, the dragon nodded and snapped his claws idly. The scrolls that had been floating in front of him rolled up and flew back to their spots with a soft 'woosh' of air. Callum could only gawk at the casual use of magic, as the scrolls settled among the multitude that were stored in a dug out portion of the wall. He turned around to smile at Teacher again when the other dragon came into the room.

"Con-Consti-lation. Consylation."

He struggled, as the name came out of his young mouth. The dragon pouted again as the bigger dragon chuckled at the sight.

"Just Clay is fine Callum."

Callum nodded slowly. So he was having a dream again, but then why was his dream different?

"That is because you're not actually dreaming young Prince."

Both looked up, as Teacher began drawing out pictures in the sandy floor. Cautiously getting closer, while Clay bounded past him to Teacher's side, Callum found his voice working much better than before.

"What do you mean?"

The dragon, gently bowed his head down in front of him.

"It may be best if I showed you young one."

Climbing up onto the rocky surface, Callum settled as best he could on Teacher's snout. Once he was comfortable, the dragon raised his head and they looked down at the pictures he had drawn out on the floor. Teacher began by pointing to one off in the corner that showed Callum sound asleep.

"When you first came, you may have done so accidentally. In the past StarWings and Archmages are the only known ones that can project themselves into this, dreamland. You had just recently celebrated your sixth year of life, correct?"

The young human nodded from the dragon's snout, as he craned his head back over when Teacher pointed out another picture of him, Teacher, and Clay.

"Normally those of magical talent are taught and trained to not accidentally project themselves, it would seem that none had done so for you."

The young human sat back, not entirely understanding the dragon, but gathering the basic gist of it. There was however another question in his mind.

"Why am I here now though?"

Teacher pointed to his final picture. This one showed a line between him and Clay.

"Because Clay has bound you to him, this happened when he told you both of his names. Your magic is now his, and his strength is now yours as well."

The human turned around with an utterly confused look, as he shyly looked up into Teacher's eyes.

"But, Teacher, I have no magical talent."

Teacher raised an eye ridge and bent down so the young human could get off his snout.

"How do you know this young Prince?"

Callum craned his neck back, even though Teacher had his head settled on the ground.

"No human has access to any of the Magic in our world. Well, except for the Dark Magic that Master Viren uses."

Teacher growled and both younglings shifted away slightly at the sight of his bared fangs.

"You need not concern yourself with such a toxic substance. Dark Magic, is not something to be praised, rather it is something to never be touched. It is a sick, and vile perversion of the pureness that is contained within perhaps the greatest of Magics; life itself."

Huffing softly to clear his mind, he looked down at both the frightened younglings in his presence and berated himself under his breath for scaring them.

"I'm sorry, you both shouldn't have to see me as such."

Clay nuzzled up against Teacher's left cheek, while Callum relaxed slightly. He felt his nervousness return, when Teacher turned his eye to him.

"Recall what I said earlier young Prince, only StarWings and Archmages are able to project themselves here. In order for you to tap into your potential though, you must discover the Magic that resonates with you the most. Once we have done that, then I may teach you the other sources if you wish."

Callum, understood maybe a fifth of what the dragon had said, but from what he understood a question emerged again.

"Are you saying you can teach me Magic?"

His face was lighting up brilliantly, as Teacher sat up slightly and nodded, before gesturing to Clay.

"In so doing I will be helping you both. As I said you have both bound to each other. You, young Prince, will find yourself with greater strength. While you, Constellation, will be able to do things only an Animus could achieve. But without the cost. This is the bound between you both. Your weaknesses, your strengths, they are now shared between you."

Clay was now sitting next to Callum as they both listened (And tried to understand.) all that Teacher was telling them.

Both were excited by the idea of learning something new, and having a close friend to share it all with.

"The path ahead of you will not be easy, but you will each have the other through it all. Keep that in mind, you will always have the other's help."

Smiling at each other, Callum was surprised when Clay bent forward and gave him a brotherly lick.

* * *

Callum bolted forward, and found himself in his room, back in the palace. He sighed in disappointment. It had been such a good dream too. He yawned and raised a hand to rub at his eyes. Sighing to himself, as he was once again reminded that his world had no surprises, Callum placed his face in his hands.

**Squelch.**

Callum grimaced as he slowly pulled his left hand away from his face and found it covered in slobber. Shaking his head as he made to wipe it off, he stopped short as something clicked. Clay had just licked the left side of his face in his dream, did that mean...

Gulping softly, he turned over on his dry side and closed his eyes again.

* * *

"Callum?"

He looked up and saw Clay and Teacher looking at him worriedly. Callum's eyes bugged comically.

"This isn't a dream, is it?"

Teacher huffed as he snorted at Constellation.

"No. I should thank young Constellation though for that, it's what we call a 'waking moment,' or when a young one realizes that what they are experiencing is in fact real."

Callum felt his head begin to spin from the overwhelming sense that this was real. Teacher stirred and cast a low powered cleansing spell that left the young Prince spotless and free of dragon drool. Callum was giggling from the tickling sensation, and opened his eyes as Teacher extended a massive talon to him.

"Take my talon young Prince."

Reaching out, Callum gently gripped the massive talon, and felt a rush of a familiar tingle run up his arms, much like when he was nudged by Clay, before it stopped.

"I hereby bind myself to you as your teacher, your instructor of flight and fight and your guardian."

He again made to pull away but stopped and looked at Callum, who gripped his talon more firmly before speaking out in a clear voice that surprised him.

"And I will promise to be your friend too."

Megatronus smiled, both of these younglings were certainly unique and he would do all that he could to see them succeed.

* * *

Callum woke up with a start.

He looked around.

He was back in his rooms, in the palace. Even the bed was clean, he could have sworn that it was covered in drool from Clay licking him.

He looked down and rubbed his hands into his face. Had any of it been real?

He turned and made to roll over and get out of bed, when he caught sight of a mark running around the upper inside of his left arm.

Cautiously he ran a finger over it.

It was of a dragon breathing fire while an illustration of wind flowed out from behind his wings.

"Teacher?"

He whispered.

'I'm here Prince Callum. Our little secret, okay?'

The voice smiled in his mind.

Callum was positively bouncing, literally, around the room. It hadn't been a dream, it was all true, and now he'd be learning magic from a cool dragon. Plus have a friend to share it with too.

'Go little one, I sense others and they will be coming soon. I will be here, guiding from within and once the day is done we shall begin our training.'

Callum raced towards the washroom to get ready, eager to finish his day so he could learn from his new mentor tonight.


	4. A Seed no more

Callum felt like he could fly to the moon and stars. In a single day he had not only confessed his feelings to the one person he cared most about outside his family, but he had mended a long ago friendship that he admittedly had missed for so long. (That and mastering a new Sky spell as well.)

Even now he could feel Clay and Teacher's presence within his heart and his mind. It was something he likened to walking inside the Banther Lodge with a warm fire stoked in the hearth after running around among the snow.

He was whole and he was home.

Still the knowledge of what this had cost him and his friends and family dampened his joy in that moment. He closed his eyes for a heartbeat as he gripped his brother's hand and Rayla's as well. Never wanting to let either of them go again.

* * *

"Callum."

He looked up and smiled at Teacher, he learned long ago that in the mind time was irrelevant, and anything was truly possible. Just like in the waking world, only in this 'dream-scape' one could create what they dreamed of instantly. Teacher had taught him and Clay that this plane of existence was for exploring infinite possibilities before being made solid in the waking realm.

Callum sat beside his mentor figure as they both looked from what he could guess was the top of the Storm Spire. Leaning against the rocky muzzle, he waited patiently for Teacher to explain why he had called him here.

"Always so eager to know young Seedling."

Callum rolled his eyes at the joking lilt of Teacher's voice.

"Where's Clay at?"

Teacher's eye flicked down to him briefly before focusing back on the clouds lazily drifting by.

"He is with his friends in their world. He will meet with us when you two are both asleep."

Callum sat forward as he remembered what Teacher had tried explaining to the two young Seedlings, as he jokingly called them.

* * *

When Teacher helped create Clay's world, he discovered that there had been a critical flaw made in it. Certain dragon's existed that could do great things with magic, but at the terrible cost of their soul. Teacher sought out a way to amend what he perceived as his mistake.

When he exiled himself for other supposed crimes, he found a solution.

Using his power, Teacher had created a reverse world that mirrored Clay's. Teacher then separated his very essence; his mind, his will, his very soul, from his body. He then 'planted' his body in this mirror world. His goal was to create a world of natural flowing magic that would find its way to Clay's world and allow the 'Animus' dragons to use their gifts without fear of becoming something horrible.

It hadn't worked. Not initially.

Teacher had then explained that Callum was essentially Clay's power. The reverse world, Xadia, had in fact gifted magic to beings within it, while at the same time not making them physically strong. Unless they bonded with a dragon, just as Callum had done.

Harmony had finally been achieved. Clay and Callum were living proof that Teacher had been right. Clay now had access to unlimited magic while in exchange, Callum developed sharpened senses and muscle thanks to the bond that Teacher had sacrificed to make.

It was daunting to think that Clay and he were, in a way, brothers bound together across time and space. Teacher always told them both, that while Xadia's unintended creation did upset him, he wouldn't have changed his decisions that led to it being made.

* * *

Callum shook himself out of his thoughts as a blanket appeared from nowhere, then settled around him. Smiling up at Teacher he tucked it around himself.

"You seemed deep in thought."

Callum smiled as he leaned back against the rocky skin of Teacher's muzzle.

"Just remembering your history lesson, about how you made our world to give Pyrrhia peace and then we came along to confuse things."

Teacher merely chuckled as he looked down at him.

"No, you came because you were what was truly needed by the Animus users. A fount of power is useless if it comes from something you can't actually converse with. But if that power comes from another living being that has respect for that power, then perhaps you may learn the same respect for that power, and not abuse it."

Callum smiled, before feeling it dip down slightly.

"Is that why you called me here Teacher? So I wouldn't abuse the bond between my friend and I?"

Teacher lifted his head, making Callum stand.

"No, I brought you here, because the one that wants to upset the balance has survived and he is coming."

Callum's brow furrowed, before he understood what Teacher meant. The blanket dropped from around his shoulders as he felt the blood in his body become icy, and not from the temperature.

"Viren."

* * *

Rayla sighed happily as she eased her fingers around Callum's. This was so incredible, she almost had to pinch herself to see if this was a dream or not. But at the gentle grip that threaded through her fingers she felt something settle inside of her. This was real, Callum was there beside her, and she felt whole for some reason.

She only wished to find a comfortable spot with sun, tall grass full of adoraburrs, and Callum beside her to enjoy it with. All without the overhanging threat of something bad happening to either of them.

Callum's grip tightened just a bit and she observed him out of the corner of her eye while the Queen spoke. His closed warm eyes gave her the perfect opportunity to admire him without being noticed, if just for a moment.

He truly was handsome, for a human. But she knew better than to go solely by outward appearances alone. Callum was much more than a handsome face, as she remembered a few instance during their adventure where he displayed a strength like Runaan's while also being just as nimble as she was. But regardless of all of that, he was still her dumb human, her Callum.

She smiled, and closed her eyes for a heartbeat, just to savor the hard-earned peace they finally had.

The next thing she knew Callum was pushing her behind him and had raised the earth behind them. She stared at him as though he had finally gone crazy, when a huge purple bolt of lightning crashed against the wall.

Callum made a parting motion with his hands and the earth wall fell away to show Viren and several foot soldiers of his dark army. She had to thank Callum later, but now he needed someone to watch his back, and that was her job.

* * *

As Rayla drew her blades, Callum breathed in deep and stoked his magic like Teacher taught him. He smiled softly as Teacher's words from their conversation rang true in his head.

* * *

_"Why did you call me away then?! I have to go there now, I have to save my family and friends!"_

_Teacher's response was to gently nuzzle his back and give him a soft push forward._

_"This was to remind you that you are not alone, I am with you, just as Clay is, always."_

* * *

Viren made to cast another attack, Callum was quicker.

He flipped his palm up, making the earth beneath Viren tremble before shooting up and sending the corrupted Sun Staff flying through the air. Callum gave a small grunt as he caught it. Glaring sternly at Viren, he straightened and slammed the staff against the ground.

"Enough. Stand down and be judged for your crimes Viren."

Following Teacher's whispered instruction, Callum purged the taint from the Sun Staff, by simply placing a hand against the orb in the centerpiece. He then put his arm behind him to hand it off to someone else, not willing to let Viren out of his sight for even a moment.

"You are relentless Step-Prince, I'll give you that much, and what's to stop my army from finishing you off here and now?"

As he felt the staff leave his grip, he could hear Teacher growling darkly over his neck. Callum still needed time to build up enough magic to allow Teacher to cross into their reality.

"Self-preservation, you are going to surrender Viren."

Laughing at the impudent brat, Viren composed himself as he looked back at him incredulously.

"You and what army?"

Callum felt a small smile spread across his lips as he felt his magic build up enough to open a path for Teacher to come through.

"I don't have an army, I have my family and my friends. But I am not going to risk them for some pretender mage like you. I know someone who'll be more than happy to see to you though."

* * *

Rayla was adjusting her blades behind Callum after passing the staff to a Sunfire Elf. She couldn't believe how calm Callum was while talking to Viren and demanding him to surrender. She had to admit he was very brave but at the same time she worried that Callum was bluffing. They didn't have the strength to fight back properly, and even without the staff, Viren was a force all on his own.

Then she eyed Callum's back, and saw his left arm behind him giving her a thumbs up. Just what was he planning now? Callum then looked up at the ceiling but didn't seem to focus on anything in particular.

"Teacher, can you please help me?"

* * *

Everyone stared at him as though he had truly lost his mind from the fierce fighting and earlier jump off the Spire. Before Viren could order his remaining minions to attack the aggravating child, a deep voice echoed out of nowhere.

"Gladly."

Callum's very shadow seemed to extend and before Rayla's eyes a massive dragon-like shape, as imposing as the former Dragon King, materialized just beside him.

"This is my family, this is my home, and you're not welcome here Viren."

* * *

Callum's voice shook Rayla from her shocked surprise, as she caught his firm gaze fixed on Viren. He turned and gave her a small smile with a wink. They would have a **long** talk after this, but he was right. First there was a fight to win.


	5. Author notice please read, thank you!

**ATTENTION, PLEASE READ!**

_Greetings all,_

I will be moving this coming week in conjunction with my job transfer. Now due to this I will be postponing any updates in the near future until I am fully settled which will be roughly 1 year from today's posting. At which time I will post an update to the story: _Saying it before the time comes,_ and continue the normal schedule from there.

If anyone has any problems with the way the schedule is currently done, then I have this offer: I will set up a poll with either a new schedule or old schedule option. Vote for the old schedule, I will keep doing as I have done. Vote for the new schedule, then please PM me the order you want to see the stories updated in.

Please do not see this as me abandoning my writings, far from it. I just have to move with my work which supports my hobbies, this included. Until we meet again.

_Kindest regards and best well wishes,_

_May the Muses sing to you their song and help write the story you have drawn. _


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